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City in Erongo, Namibia
Photo: Brian McMorrow, CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Swakopmund, known as Swakop, is in the Erongo region of Namibia. It is the country's biggest coastal town and a resort for Namibians on holiday. The city's German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert. Swakopmund is like a German North Sea town with an African flair (or vice versa).
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
A German half-timbered house in the colors of the desert with a 25m high tower and arcaded inner yard. Built by the German trading company Woermann in 1905 as their headquarters for German Southwest Africa. In 1972 the building was declared a national historic landmark and nowadays it functions as a public library.
Jutting 300 m out in the Atlantic Ocean. Originally it was smaller and built out of wood. Later on, the current concrete jetty was built, but after WWI it fell into disuse. Renovated in 2005, it is a popular attraction, especially for viewing the sunset.
Built in the Wilhelminian style in 1902 as a railway station for the new line to Windhoek, it nowadays hosts the Swakopmund Hotel, exhibition centre and casino.
Built in 1909, it still functions as a prison. However, it's built in the same style as much as the rest of downtown (much prettier than a modern prison) and has been a national historic landmark since 1973.
An Art Nouveau building constructed in 1906 as a luxurious hotel, today it is an apartment building.
Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht
Built as a courthouse in 1902, nowadays it is the Swakopmund residence of the Namibian president.
Built by the Germans in 1912, this Evangelical-Lutheran church is another building which looks like it has been transplanted from somewhere in Germany.
Kaserne
Built in 1903 as housing for the troops of the engineer corps who constructed much of the early infrastructure. The lobby is decorated with German coats of arms. Nowadays the building functions as a youth hostel.
The 25.6m-high lighthouse is one of the most visible buildings in the city.
Crystal Gallery
The world's largest quartz crystal and many other gems and minerals are on display. The gallery also has two shops where you can buy some crystals as souvenirs.
A road locomotive abandoned in the desert just outside Swakopmund. Imported in 1896 to pull freight in the region, replacing oxens, it wasn't even able to travel the way from the port of Walvis Bay to Swakopmund, where it was supposed to be based, before breaking down in the desert. It was left there and soon became an odd attraction. It has been renovated a couple of times, and a protective building was built around it.
Rays, turtles, sharks and other marine life can be seen here. There is a daily feeding at 15:00.
The largest private museum in the country, founded in 1951. It showcases the cultural and natural history of the region from prehistoric time to the colonial period. Included among the exhibits is a reconstructed 19th-century chemist shop, a dentist's practice and an old household.
Memorial to the German soldiers who died during the campaign against the Herero People between 1904-07.
Quadbike to take you up; snacks and drinks included.
Desert tours.
This company offers all sorts of activities from sandboarding and skydiving to fishing and horse riding.
About 8 km outside Swakop.
12 km east of Swakopmund
Elephant Human Relations Aid, a local NGO offering desert elephant conservation trips.
Cafe with different menus every day, updated on their Facebook page.
Great German café, lovely breakfast.
Fresh fish, good wine, reasonable prices. Locals eat here.
Great for an all-you-can-eat breakfast. In the daytime they have delicious cakes; reportedly, the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is even better than what you can get in Germany!
An Italian restaurant with both Italian food and steaks and game. Large servings.
German cuisine with great service. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Very friendly host. Not many tables, so make a reservation.
A little bit hidden, does not look attractive from outside. But everything else is perfect!
Game food and good wines.
Warm and enjoyable atmosphere with great service. Limited menu, but interesting dishes (shark steak, etc) and very well prepared.
A great seafood restaurant, with a wide wine selection. It is an actual tug with a great view of the sea - reservations are essential. Rather expensive.
At end of the pier, fish and chips, sushi, tapas, good wine list and whisky Don Pedro's, +264 64 5664 for reservations.
The Alte Brücke Holiday Resort also houses this amazing buffet restaurant. Beautifully decorated and the staff is very friendly.
Likely the coziest bar in Swakopmund. It has a good selection of pub snacks and is affordable too.
Beach bar, excellent place for a sundowner on the beach. Go to the aquaruim and walk along the beach in the direction of Walvis Bay. Grab a bottle of bubbly for the amazing sunset (Locally called sundowners)
Great sports bar with big LCD screens.
Five-minute walk from downtown and the beach; clean, friendly owner. Camping, dorms, double rooms available. No breakfast.
Caters to a younger crowd that likes surfing. Only 1 dorm (6 beds) and several private rooms. Breakfast included. Dogs and cat around to play with.
Another great backpackers. Plus they have their own bar. dorms
dorm beds
Individual rooms or simple dorms with 4 or 6 beds dorms. Breakfast included.
has dorms beds
Dorm beds. Popular among those travelling on overland trucks. Still, there are some quite nice and clean rooms (though ask to see the room first). Restaurant, Internet cafe, laundry service N$30, guarded parking lot, kitchen.
Intimate family run bed and breakfast guest house with six rooms. Continental or health breakfast with an array of dishes made from local produce. The outside areas are designed in a quiet country courtyard style.
Six standard double en suite rooms, three comfort double en-suite rooms and two suites. Breakfast is included and the guesthouse has a bistro restaurant for evening meals. Secure parking is available.
Luxury apartments, stylishly decorated in contemporary look, with all the comforts possible. Including full DSTV and Internet, well situated with sea view or dune view. All within walking distance to the centre of town.
The place is out of the ordinary.
A self-catering accommodation service offering affordable luxury, with sea views, coffee/tea, DSTV in master bedroom and lounge, indoor BBQ.
Sunny and cosy camping and bungalows 12 km from Swakopmund, in the lush area of Swakop River.
Selection ranging from tiny two bedroom units (approximately N$250 a night) to luxury bungalows (TV, stove, etc.) at N$650-700 a night. Walking distance to town
Scheduled to reopen in October 2015.
All rooms are ensuite. Two-minute walk to the ocean, pool table, cereal breakfast, bar area, free WiFi, inside and outside fireplace.
Luxurious with a very romantic setting.
The archetype of a hotel from the "old days". Waiters wear penguin suit, and the place oozes style. This is also a nice place for Sunday lunch which is surprisingly good value for money, but you might be rejected if your attire is too informal.
It's a 4-star luxury hotel, built in and around the impeccably restored old station building. Includes casino, pool and restaurant.
Shopping arcade with all kinds of small shops housed in typical German turn of the century buildings.
leather boutique for ostrich, kudu and buffalo leather articles
Luggage and leather retail shop, the finest ostrich and kudu wallets and purses. Modern zebra skin belts, ostrich and kudu leather belts as well as designer handbags in springbok, kudu, nguni, buffalo and ostrich leather.
Traditional African street market. Bargain hard; if you're an obvious tourist the vendor typically gives you a price 3-4 times higher.
Food and household item supermarket.
A more westernized mall with more expensive items (souvenirs and other products). Here you can also find an Internet cafe and a supermarket.
By plane
Swakopmund does have an airport, but it's just used by the local skydiving club and for some charter flights.
By minibus
Minibuses operate from Windhoek almost every 2-3 hours, ask the taxi drivers where the buses leave.
By bus
Although the minibuses are slightly cheaper and are an experience, they have no fixed time schedule and are often overloaded. So check out these operators:
By train
The StarLine service between Windhoek and Walvis Bay has in the past run on weekdays. Checks should be made to see if active at time of travel.
By ship
Occasionally cruise liners visit Walvis Bay, and passengers may take a tour to Swakopmund.
On a tour or safari
Swakopmund is a frequent one or two night stop on most tours around Namibia. There are many tour operator doing tours both from Namibia and from outside, such as South Africa.
As with other Namibian cities, there is no public transport in Swakopmund. But the city is small enough to get around easily on foot. All the major attractions and facilities are in the centre.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Walvis Bay(Rooikop) · International · WVB
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